1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for forming the same, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device and a method for forming the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dynamic random access memory (hereinafter abbreviated as DRAM) is a volatile memory that commonly used as system memory. A memory cell array of DRAM has a configuration in which memory cells, each including an access field effect transistor (FET) and a storage capacitor, are arranged in array-like manner, i.e. in row and column directions.
The storage capacitors are formed either by etching trenches in the substrate in each of the cell areas, commonly referred to as trench capacitors, or are formed over the access FETs in the cell areas by depositing and patterning conducting layers over the access transistors, and are commonly referred to as stacked capacitors. The capacitors make electrical contact to one of the two source/drain areas (node contact) of each FET, while bit lines make electrical contact to the other source/drain area of each FET. It is becoming increasingly difficult to fabricate more memory cells on a DRAM device while limiting the overall DRAM device area to a practical size without decreasing the cell area. Further, as the cell area decreases, the available area for the storage capacitor in each cell also decreases. This makes it difficult to maintain sufficient capacitance to provide the necessary signal-to-noise ratio. Also, the refresh cycle time necessary to maintain sufficient charge on these capacitors also decreases, resulting in DRAM devices with reduced performance (speed). Therefore, one method in the semiconductor industry of overcoming the above problems is to form DRAM devices having stacked capacitors. These types of capacitors extend vertically upward over the MOS transistors. The two basic types of stacked capacitor DRAM cells of the prior art are the capacitor over bit line (hereinafter abbreviated as COB) and capacitor under bit line (CUB).
As memory cells of DRAM become more integrated and miniaturized, fabrication of those elements becomes more difficult. Furthermore, DRAM includes not only the memory cells that are arranged in array-like manner in the memory region but also other logic devices that are formed in non-memory/peripheral region. Therefore the different device densities between the memory cells and the logic devices further induce process issue.